Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Learn strong organizational skills. The more organized you are the less time you will need to spend on it. Your CT will notice it, and will feel like you can handle the responsibility, and will give you more freedom. Save everything in your binder. My anal CT loves the fact that I can pull out the data from last years NECAP test results and show her where students had trouble answering certain questions. Build relationships with the students. It isn't your show yet, but you can at least make the students feel like they can relate to you, ask you questions, and think that you are a knowledgable and smart teacher whom they can go to.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan. This was a necessary overemphasis on writing and developing a unit plan, that will mirror what you will be doing in ST. Even though I look back at it now as a plan with parts that are very flawed and inconcievable, it was practice that was necessary for my development.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Been a little bit more organized, brought the hammer down on that one horrific class a little earlier, and didn't try to make a huge difference in a few kids with only 7 weeks of time to do it in.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
As much as you might want to be a teacher who wants to make an impact on students, 7 weeks is not enough time to do it in. Also, the behavioral issues of the students you will meet are a part of a system that was already in place before you walked into the door. Do not stress too much if your students are inconsiderate, and disrespectful. You will one day have your own classroom where you can have your own set of rules, do your own thing, and manage the classroom to your standards, not someone else's.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Learn strong organizational skills. The more organized you are the less time you will need to spend on it. Your CT will notice it, and will feel like you can handle the responsibility, and will give you more freedom. Save everything in your binder. My anal CT loves the fact that I can pull out the data from last years NECAP test results and show her where students had trouble answering certain questions. Build relationships with the students. It isn't your show yet, but you can at least make the students feel like they can relate to you, ask you questions, and think that you are a knowledgable and smart teacher whom they can go to.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan. This was a necessary overemphasis on writing and developing a unit plan, that will mirror what you will be doing in ST. Even though I look back at it now as a plan with parts that are very flawed and inconcievable, it was practice that was necessary for my development.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Been a little bit more organized, brought the hammer down on that one horrific class a little earlier, and didn't try to make a huge difference in a few kids with only 7 weeks of time to do it in.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
As much as you might want to be a teacher who wants to make an impact on students, 7 weeks is not enough time to do it in. Also, the behavioral issues of the students you will meet are a part of a system that was already in place before you walked into the door. Do not stress too much if your students are inconsiderate, and disrespectful. You will one day have your own classroom where you can have your own set of rules, do your own thing, and manage the classroom to your standards, not someone else's.